India - Indebted farmers seek subsidies and insurance

Indian government action to increase spending on irrigation and crop insurance is not enough to end a cycle of indebtedness that has led to thousands of farmer suicides, and a complete overhaul of credit and subsidies to farmers is needed, activists said.

Drought in many parts of the country has hit rice, cotton and other crops, and lower world commodity prices have added to the farmers' plight.

More than half India's farming households are in debt, owing banks and moneylenders hundreds of millions of rupees, despite numerous loan write-offs by successive governments.